peters



(No Model.)

D. A. PETERS.

FLEXIBLE-FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

Patented Jlily 31, 1883.

W'z'zinesses Inventor Attorney.

NJEIEIIS. Phowutm n hr. Wuhan-nus. 0.4:.

the wall.

UNITED STATES P TENT. OFFICE.

DAvID A. PETERS, or HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND.

FLEXIBLE FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,362, dated July 31, 1883.

Application filed [April 11, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, DAVID A. PETRRs, a citizen of the United States, residing 'at Hagerstown, in the county of WVashington and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Fire-Escape Ladders, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved flexible ladder which will fold close, thereby adapting it to fire-escape purposes.

The apparatus will first be described, and the invention then designated in the claim. I

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a sectional View of the wall of a building and a window, showing the ladder suspended therefrom. Fig. 2 is a view showing the ladder folded and occupying a recess inside of the building below the window-sill. Fig. 3 is a side view, showing more plainly the ladder and the manner of folding it. Fig. 4 is a top view of a rung detached.

The letter A designatesthe wall of a build ing; B, the window; 0, an upright cover hinged at the floor, which closes a recess, D,

under the window-sill. Suitable eyes or rings, 6, are securedin the wall of the inner side below the window-sill. To these the flexible ladder F is secured by any suitable means. In the present instance abar, g, is secured to the top .of the ladder, a straight link, h, is attached by one end to each end of the bar, and the other end of the link is jointed to another link, h, which in turn is jointed to a hook, I, that engages with the eyes 0 in the wall. By this arrangement of hooks the ladder may be at tached to or detached fromthe eyes at pleasure. The link h, when theladder is suspended outside, rests across the window-sill, and when in this position the outer ends of the link project far enough to hold the ladder away from The distance to which this link should project outside of the wall may of course vary to suit the ideas of the builder.

The rungs k of the ladder consist of two flat bars, 1, of iron, between which a wooden strip, 2, is interposed. The bars and strip, being riveted together, constitute the tread on which the foot is placed. I At each end of the rung and between the two bars the ends of three flat bar-links, n n and p, are pivoted by the pin q. The two links a project up, while the link 9 hangs down; (or, of course, this may be reversed, two down and one up.) The end of 55 each link 0 of one rung is placed between the ends of the two links a of another rung, and jointed thereto by a pin, 0. It will thus be seen the rungs are connected by a two-part jointed link, which parts, when folded by elbowing outward, as shown in Fig. 3, mesh or fit together close, one part, 19, meshing in the other part, a a, so that when folded the two parts together occupy no morespace than one alone. By this arrangement the rungs is come together in close contact, and thereby the ladder is folded very closely, enabling a greater length of ladder when folded to be got in less space than heretofore.

If desired, the ladder, instead of occupying a recess below the window, may .be stowed away under a bed or other convenient place,

as the hooks I provide for its ready attach- I ment to the window in case of fire.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States A flexible fire-escapeladder consisting of the.

and the other part of a single bar, 19, placed between them, the said two parts adapted, when folded outward, to mesh together, whereby the rungs may come together in close contact, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVIl) A. PETERS.

I Witnesses:

JNo. T. MADDOX, J OHN E. Monroe. 

